The story behind Dhruv Rathee’s AI visuals of Sikh gurus; video the YouTuber deleted later

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee uploaded an AI video titled "The Sikh Warrior Who Terrified the Mughals" on Sunday.

The video ran for 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

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On Monday, Rathee took down his AI-generated video depicting Sikh gurus in the face of opposition from viewers.

They felt the animated depiction of Sikh Gurus conflicted with their beliefs.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal also registered strong protests against depicting the religious figures in human form or in films.

In a post on Instagram, Rathee said that even though many people had appreciated the video and "would like it to stay on the (YouTube) channel, I have decided to remove it because some viewers feel strongly that any animated depiction of the Sikh Gurus conflicts with their beliefs."

"I do not want this to become a political or religious controversy, because the video was simply an effort to showcase the stories of our Indian heroes in a new educational format," he said.

The Akal Takht, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had demanded an immediate takedown of the video, which features artificial intelligence-generated images of Guru Gobind Singh and his four sons known as "Sahibzadas."

They had also sought the possible strictest action by the government in the matter. "Such portrayals violate Sikh principles and traditions. In Sikhi, the gurus, Sahibzadas, and their families cannot be represented in human form or in films. Therefore, this YouTuber has acted against the tenets of Sikhism," said SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "Such portrayals violate Sikh 'rehat maryada' which prohibits visual representations of Guru Sahiban. It has deeply hurt the sentiments of the community."

He also alleged that the misleading narrative in Rathee's video titled "The Sikh Warrior Who Terrified the Mughals" and the lack of respectful language had further aggravated the issue. In a post on X, Badal urged all content creators to exercise utmost caution and sensitivity while dealing with Guru Sahiban or Sikh history.

"Respect for religious traditions and accurate historical representation are non-negotiable. I request the immediate removal of the offending content and call for responsible storytelling that honors the sacred legacy of Sikhism," he had said.

Badal called for promoting education and awareness with reverence without disrespecting a community's beliefs. Dhami had said that the history of Sikh gurus and Sikh personalities is a sacred and inviolable heritage that no individual has the right to distort or misrepresent. He reminded people that the SGPC has already imposed a ban on portraying the gurus or their families in films or through animation. Besides historical inaccuracies, the inclusion of AI-generated visuals of Sikh gurus has hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community, he had added, and warned Rathee of legal action if the video is not taken down.

In a statement, Akal Takht's officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said that by uploading such a video on YouTube, Rathee has "insulted" Sikh traditions, history, and sentiments. He underlined that Sikh principles clearly prohibit visual representation or animation of the gurus, the Sahibzadas, members of the guru's family, and Sikh martyrs. Gargaj had demanded that Rathee remove the objectionable video from his channel without delay. He further mentioned that during a recent gathering of the Akal Takht concerning films, the matter of AI animation was also discussed.

The jathedar had directed the SGPC to contact the ministries concerned for a takedown of Rathee's video. He further instructed the SGPC to widely publicise its past resolutions and decisions regarding films to ensure that such actions are not repeated. With PTI inputs